Reaction to Chuck Klosterman’s Grantland Article on Royce White
By Brian Spaen
"“My request was to have an addendum to my contract,” (White) begins. “Now, would that set a precedent? That’s not really my thing. I asked for something to be put into my contract. Not something for all players to use.”"
If White cares so much about everyone else, then why would he just care about himself in this instance? On Twitter, @Highway_30, White continuously retweets the good, bad, and derogatory against him to show both sides of the world. He uses hashtags and wants to create a movement of everyone to be aware. It appears that he wants to be the leader of a movement.
Mar 17, 2012; Louisville, KY, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Royce White (30) looks up at the clock after fouling out during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats in the third round of the 2012 NCAA men
Then he focuses more on himself when it comes to the Rockets. From having to sit a year because Iowa State had “no mental health protocol” to wanting his own driver to get him to games, there’s simply too many obstacles in the way for him to succeed in an NBA career.
It’s almost as if White is pushing his career aside anyway. He admitted to Klosterman that he hasn’t played much ball during his time off. I’d doubt that White would have any impact on the court this season even if he was sent up to the Rockets.
After reading the article, I’ve been more inclined to realize that White won’t work out in the NBA. His feelings and thoughts are more with this issue, and I’d honestly rather see him go for what he’s more passionate with and be a spokesperson on this topic. True, he could succeed in the NBA and become a great image for fighting mental health illness, but there’s plenty of people that haven’t gone the lengths that White has had for a sports organization to implement such a “mental health protocol.”
Maybe he is the “insufferable” figure Klosterman explains in his piece that will create a big movement in what everyone thinks about mental health.
Brian Spaen is the lead editor of Clones Confidential. Get more Cyclones coverage by following us on Twitter.